Euro 2016 Discussion

First topic message reminder :

Duty281 wrote:Sterling and Rooney have been woeful thus far and need to be dropped (but 1 of them certainly won't be), but I would favour giving Kane one final chance. He's had an excellent couple of seasons, and England shouldn't jettison him at the first sign of difficulty.

Rooney woeful? I'm not his biggest fan but he's been pretty good so far, working well alongside Dier allowing Alli to push on further

Roy Hodgson should be sacked with immediate effect

Good opportunity for Wales ... being in the easier side of the drawer

Wait a minute Spain finished 2nd? I thought they were untouchable?

LiamB wrote:Basically Croatia can make the final without playing Germany, Spain, Italy, France or England

Pretty incredible, does just further enhance the fact England & Hodgson have massively fouled up.

Wow, if England had been in the other half of the draw we could've played Iceland in the final!

I can see Portugal playing for 1 point now just to be on the right side of the draw...

Just shows how stupid the format is, Italy won their group and got one of Spain or Croatia. England come second and will get Hungary or Austria most likely.

Have Italy definatly won it though.

If we beat Italy, say 1-0.

Belgium beat Sweden 2-0

Belgium would top the group on goal difference.

Or are people just taking into account ee have no hope against Italy.

Yeah Italy got shafted here and the irony is that they cannot even finish 2nd now... I can see them playing a rubbish team tomorrow and offering the qualification to Ireland. All the remaining games are a bit weird as we reach a point where losing is more rewarding than winning!

It's particular goal difference westi so Belgium will always come 2nd even if Italy loses 10-0 against the Republic

Yeah just read up on it.

Should have done before hand.

Cheers though.

whocares wrote:Yeah Italy got shafted here and the irony is that they cannot even finish 2nd now... I can see them playing a rubbish team tomorrow and offering the qualification to Ireland. All the remaining games are a bit weird as we reach a point where losing is more rewarding than winning!

Sadly even if Italy put out the weakest team they could, we will have to play out of skins.
We have to start how we did against Sweden and make the chances count.

If we can get a point tomorrow, then we will really be kicking ourselves that we didnt kill off Sweden.

The good thing is we are still in with a chance.

Gotta get at them from the off.
And hope we dont get caught out.

France wont be the same if the fans go home on thursday.

Yeah we could do with keeping the Irish fans for another week! They are the only folks around here that have shown some sympathy towards the French police.

Oh and remember 1994!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm84YD0NH30

whocares wrote:Yeah we could do with keeping the Irish fans for another week! They are the only folks around here that have shown some sympathy towards the French police.

Did you see the video of Ireland fans singing "stand up for the french police"

The police were on the tannoys singing it to the irish fans.

Great stuff.

whocares wrote:Oh and remember 1994!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm84YD0NH30

Would certainly love that result tomorrow.
Great memories.

Currently, it's Wales vs Turkey

However, if Rep of Ireland or Sweden win tomorrow, Wales will face Northern Ireland. If Rep of Ireland or Sweden both fail to win, Northern Ireland will play France & Wales will face Albania.

As long as Gareth scores and keeps me in with my faint chance of top scorer money. Damn Morata is trying to ruin things

Wow! And the talk was how we would have to face a couple of the best teams if we wanted to win this tournament anyway. Turns out had we won last night or against Russia we would have only had to play one and that would be in the final..

Never mind, probably better that we are on this ridiculous side of the draw since teams will have a go at us and we're much more likely to play better and create more.

On the grander scale however as others have said this shows the issue with the tournament format; it's also going to be a rather dour spectacle on one side of the draw as the lesser teams now facing each other will be so frightened to have a go knowing they have an amazing chance to make the latter stages of a major tournament.

whocares wrote:I can see Portugal playing for 1 point now just to be on the right side of the draw...

No, they need to win.

Thought Croatia were superb v Spain last night - and without Modric too. On the easier side of the draw now, a dark horse each way bet?

Del Bosque makes NO CHANGES to his starting eleven and they get beaten. Hodgson makes FIVE CHANGES to his and we get a draw against a resolute Slovak team.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

there's a bit of difference between the quality of croatia & slovakia

LiamB wrote:there's a bit of difference between the quality of croatia & slovakia

Croatia made 5 changes and beat Spain.

Maybe we're just better, defensively, than Spain

Croatia clearly rested players to try and stay out of England's half of the draw

GSC wrote:Croatia clearly rested players to try and stay out of England's half of the draw

And so they should, we fear no-one but they all fear us...isn't that right, Roy? Roy? ROY?!?!?!?!

GSC wrote:Croatia clearly rested players to try and stay out of England's half of the draw

Brilliant...

It's mad how the two sides of the draw have worked themselves out; does go to show nothing should be taken for granted in this type of tournament...you go and get top spot, don't look at the permutations and chances are your always going to come out of the best side of the draw. Regardless of whether Hodgson and the players feel we shouldn't fear anyone/ changing the team was correct or incorrect, there is no doubt they will be sat kicking themselves at a real opportunity lost.

So today..Can Ireland get the job done? Will Italy ease into the next round with 2nd string side? Can Portugal put it together?

Ronaldo made a helmet of himself once more I see; the man is so classless it's incredible. Football isn't a popularity contest but it does help and it's why Messi will always be ranked above Ronaldo in my eyes.

Yes, that horrible man Cristiano Ronaldo.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/cristiano-ronaldo-named-most-charitable-athlete-after-donating-thousands-10459073.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-forward-donates-600000-champions-league-final-bonus-to-charity-a7063036.html

I didn't say horrible...I said classless. And so what he donates to charity doesn't mean he's a saint. Donald Trump has donated millions to charity...he's no less of an arse. They are in a position to donate that kind of sum. 2000 equates to an hours (60,000 just over a days) work for him based on his salary last year. I donate £25 a month to various charities...that likely equates to the same percentage of my salary as his...do I get a round of applause? It's great he gives to charity but when he acts the way he does and says the things he does, he does nothing for his standing as a person.

owen10ozzy wrote: I donate £25 a month to various charities...that likely equates to the same percentage of my salary as his...do I get a round of applause?

Ronaldo - like all people exceptionally gifted at their particular gift...he's a little screwy.

He wears everything he has on the surface - showmanship, eyes for where the camera is, emotions, attitude.

If he could control all those things I suppose he wouldn't be Ronaldo.

Of course some samrta$$ is now going to mention Saint Messi

owen10ozzy wrote:I didn't say horrible...I said classless. And so what he donates to charity doesn't mean he's a saint. Donald Trump has donated millions to charity...he's no less of an arse. They are in a position to donate that kind of sum. 2000 equates to an hours (60,000 just over a days) work for him based on his salary last year. I donate £25 a month to various charities...that likely equates to the same percentage of my salary as his...do I get a round of applause? It's great he gives to charity but when he acts the way he does and says the things he does, he does nothing for his standing as a person.

He donated 5 million to Save the Children (nearly a third of even his most recently salary).

Your salary will have to be pretty low for your £25 to compare...

EDIT: Actually it seems that report is inaccurate but it's fair to say even the smaller numbers reported are a higher proportion of his salary.

That's good security he has...I hope they get well paid.

Fernando wrote:

Seems fair. These reporters need to learn some decorum.

Including endorsement deals, appearances fees, bonuses etc I bet it doesn't even come close to a third of his earnings. Let's be honest, it's also very easy for it to appear in the media whether it's the actual truth or not is another thing. If he was that charitable then why does he even require association with the donations? I saw a piece where he stated something along the lines of 'I give to people because I am in a position to do so and I have always been of the belief that if you do good then God will pay you back in an even bigger way'...that in itself isn't all that charitable. You do it for the good of others not to get something back!

Like I said, kudos to the man giving to charity, I applaud any person who does, it's a great thing to do. But just because you do so doesn't give you the right to go around being an arrogant tool who has little respect for others, their accomplishments and their jobs. Also Messi is no saint, his tax dodging scandals are there for all to see. But he carries himself a lot better than Ronaldo and I just find that a nice trait in people.

Why fair? He's happy enough to have the spotlight on him when it pleases him...but when it doesn't just be a jerk? Can't have it both ways simple as that.

owen10ozzy wrote:If he was that charitable then why does he even require association with the donations?

Ha! Yet you're on an anonymous message board bragging about yours?

No.  It's not fair.  I take your phone and throw it from one end of the street to the other or throw it in a lake - I'd probably be charged for criminal damage.

The team are out in public - they know the media are there - plus he has...em, for want of a better word.... security around him.  
If the reporter gets through, don't blame the reporter - blame the walk in the public park and those..... eh, security lads.

Back to the football...whose going for a loss today for Portugal or even a draw? (Can they go out if they draw?). I can see Ireland sneaking a win today although it depends on the Italian mentality towards the game.

SecretFly wrote:No.  It's not fair.  I take your phone and throw it from one end of the street to the other or throw it in a lake - I'd probably be charged for criminal damage.

The team are out in public - they know the media are there - plus he has...em, for want of a better word.... security around him.  
If the reporter gets through, don't blame the reporter - blame the walk in the public park and those..... eh, security lads.

It's his fault for being in public? Should just stay in his room?

Na, I think journalists behave terribly often, I bet you blame photographers taking upskirt photos on the women wearing short skirts.

Scottrf wrote:

owen10ozzy wrote:If he was that charitable then why does he even require association with the donations?

Ha! Yet you're on an anonymous message board bragging about yours?

Quite clearly I brought it up to make a valid point to the original discussion. I don't want nor have ever needed acknowledgement for the charitable things I do. Hence I've never even mentioned them anywhere on here before

Scottrf wrote:

SecretFly wrote:No.  It's not fair.  I take your phone and throw it from one end of the street to the other or throw it in a lake - I'd probably be charged for criminal damage.

The team are out in public - they know the media are there - plus he has...em, for want of a better word.... security around him.  
If the reporter gets through, don't blame the reporter - blame the walk in the public park and those..... eh, security lads.

It's his fault for being in public? Should just stay in his room?

Na, I think journalists behave terribly often, I bet you blame photographers taking upskirt photos on the women wearing short skirts.

If he doesn't like the public stroll - take a car, blacked out windows................ he can afford one.

But back to those security boys..... all barrel chested and 'secret service style' vigilence and yet oblivious to the man walking straight up to the man they're 'protecting'.

owen10ozzy wrote:Back to the football...whose going for a loss today for Portugal or even a draw? (Can they go out if they draw?). I can see Ireland sneaking a win today although it depends on the Italian mentality towards the game.

They only need a draw because 2 other 3rd place teams on three points have a negative goal difference (Albania and Turkey). If they draw 0-0 they will be through scoring 1 goal and not winning a game.

Surely Ronaldo could have ignored the reporter and carried on walking.

Agree with Owen, classless act.

I have a sneaky feeling we may just nick it tonight.
Who knows

Hearing that Long and Wessi may not start.
I would drop Randolph to.

Would like to see Westwood given a go.

I just hope the road doesn't end tonight.

I predict its England vs Hungary

Ronaldo is a helmet and you can bet he's sticking pins in a voodoo doll of Messi whilst crying down the phone to his "friend" the kickboxer asking if he can come over "for a chat"

Ireland will win 1 or 2 -0. Portugal might actually score tonight - reckon 3-2 against Hungary. Iceland will get a solid draw against Austria and qualify. Belgium to win 3-1 against Sweden.

Ronaldo already throwing a strop, should be fun the longer it stays 0-0